Burma has to prepare for the worst as Junta practiced deception and trickery

Zin Linn
Asian Tribune
February 2, 2008

Burma’s military regime is practicing tyranny over all aspects of freedom in the country. Intellectual freedom is completely subdued by various suppressive laws and decrees. Even the internet is subject to scrutiny. The junta has never tolerated any democratic opinion and dissent.
The opposition party NLD criticized the ruling junta on the 60th Anniversary of Independence for deceptive practices and trickery over meetings with its detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and the junta’s Labor Minister Aung Kyi have so far held 5 meetings but they have become attempts to ward off to relieve pressure on the regime.

Military junta of Burma made no sign of cooperation with the international community in the midst of worldwide pressure for political change even following the blood-shed crackdown on 2007 September Saffron Revolution.

Despite salvos of international condemnation over the lack of improvement on human rights abuses and talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the junta envisaged to soften the pressure by holding another talk show. On 30 January, during a meeting with leading members of the NLD at a Rangoon state guesthouse, Aung San Suu Kyi apparently said that the junta was toying with the idea of giving false hope to the nation. The junta's supreme-commander, Senior General Than Shwe, never had any wish for meaningful dialogue with the Nobel laureate of Burma, arguing that the talks were only showcase to take in the global family after the September bloodbath.

It is noticeable that the military has been tightening the screws on its own citizens. According to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), there are now at least 1864 political prisoners in Burma, although the group can not include all cases of confinement since the crackdown. AAPP-B also said that more than 700 people were arrested in connection with the September Saffron Revolution and they are still behind bars. Moreover, the group is aware of 84 people who disappeared during the protests.

In fact, Prime Minister Thein Sein has a promise to the UN Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari in early November in 2007 that no more arrests would be carried out. In addition, Thein Sein also signed the new ASEAN Charter that stipulated the “promotion and protection of human rights.” He was attending ASEAN's 40th Anniversary Summit.

According to witnesses inside Burma, the fresh arrests are still taking place despite the regime’s promises to the international community. It has stepped up scrutiny of the Internet, arresting Nay Phone Latt, a popular blogger, who criticized the repression of free expression in the military-ruled nation.

For instance, Burma's military junta has been going on filing lawsuits against political dissidents including members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and leading student-activists detained for organizing citizens against fuel price increases last year. Two of the most well-known pro-democracy leaders, Min Ko Niaing (45) and Ko Ko Gyi (46) were among those accused of making illegal statements.

According to a Rangoon analyst who wishes to remain anonymity, there has been a deadlock between the Lady and the senior general. Aung Kyi is the protégé of Than Shwe. He stands firmly on the draft constitution which was the product of the junta’s national convention, as genuine desire of the people. At the same time, Aung San Suu Kyi, the General Secretary of NLD, determinedly stands on the 1990 elections result or the mandates of the NLD representatives-elect. The military junta has claimed the representatives of its national convention as true delegates of the nation. But, the junta stubbornly refused to recognize the representatives-elect of the 1990 elections. The fact is that the junta does not want to allow the NLD delegates participating in the constitution drafting committee.

The information minister Kyaw Hsan spoke at 3rd December news conference about the start of work of the 54-member Constitution Drafting Commission, whose work represents the third stage of the ruling junta's seven-step road map to democracy. The junta has long-insisted it will make democratic reforms only according to its own plan. The road map's first stage -- the National Convention -- began in 1993 and was completed only in July 2007. Most political analysts around the world consider the charter drafting process is a sham, designed to keep the military in power.

Moreover, during the meeting with the SPDC Liaison Minister Aung Kyi, Aung San Suu Kyi reiterated her call to include representatives of ethnic groupings in the talks. She also expressed her dissatisfaction with the meetings with Aung Kyi and the lack of any time frame for the talks.

“Let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” she said to central executive committee members of the NLD. After meeting with NLD CEC members, Aung San Suu Kyi had another meeting with Aung Kyi. 30-January meeting was the fifth talk between the two since Aung Kyi’s appointment as Liaison Minister in October 2007.

The NLD spokesperson, Nyan Win said about the Lady’s dissatisfaction in an interview.

"What I can say is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is not satisfied with the current meetings with the military junta, especially the fact that the process is not time-bound," Nyan Win said.

The military regime continues to practice tyranny over all aspects of freedom in Burma. One remarkable event was that the EU's special envoy for Myanmar (Burma) Mr. Piero Fassino urged Burma's military regime to free democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as he kicked off an Asian tour aimed at pressuring the junta for reform. Fassino, a former Italian justice minister, said he supported the junta's dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi but urged the regime to make concrete progress.

On 29 January, Mr. Fassino said that it was necessary to open real dialogue between the junta and the opposition and all different sectors of the society. Piero Fassino was appointed the EU special envoy on Myanmar (Burma) last November and said he would travel to Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Laos and Japan over the next two months in a bid to gain Asian support to press the regime for reform. The Italian diplomat also called on the regime to allow the United Nations special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, to return to the military ruled country without hindrance.

While Fassino was in Bangkok, members from “Peace for Burma”, which is a coalition of Thai and Burmese civil society organizations working to promote democratic change and the protection of human rights in Burma, offered an open letter to him.

The letter says that if the Burmese junta remains intransigent and substantial progress is not made in the near future, the group has made a request to consider the proposed steps - suspending or withdrawing existing investments in the oil and gas sector in Burma; applying banking and financial sanctions targeted on Burmese generals, their family members, and close business partners; banning new investments and the import of marine products from Burma; applying diplomatic pressure to place Burma on the UN Security Council agenda; intensifying diplomatic engagement with China, India and ASEAN in order to develop a coordinated strategy towards Burma ; extending humanitarian assistance and increasing support for programmes promoting of human rights, democracy, and national reconciliation.

In addition, UN Special Envoy Mr. Ibrahim Gambari has also made recommendations, to release all political prisoners, to begin an inclusive national reconciliation process, to cooperate fully with the UN and international not governmental organizations, to cease hostilities in conflict areas, and to establish Commissions to review the constitution and alleviate poverty.

But, the junta turns a deaf ear to the UN Envoy. It’s a sign of more gloomy weather for Burma. As Aung San Suu Kyi told her NLD central executive members, people of Burma have to prepare for the worst although they may love to hope for the best.